Question Re: ports

[AnaiyaNB]

Hi! This may sound like a strange question, but how noisy are embarkation ports and ports in general?

 

My husband and I are both autistic, and get easily overwhelmed by a lot of loud noises. I'm wondering if I should plan on bringing headphones/loop earplugs in my carry on for embarkation day?

 

This is our first cruise and I'm trying to get as much info as possible to make this as smooth as possible for both of us.

[darstamp]

Embarkation can be very noisy.  I would bring earplugs just in case.  There are always people available to help you and answer your questions.  I don't recall any instances where leaving the ship was particularly noisy.

[Catlover54]

19 minutes ago, AnaiyaNB said:

Hi! This may sound like a strange question, but how noisy are embarkation ports and ports in general?

 

My husband and I are both autistic, and get easily overwhelmed by a lot of loud noises. I'm wondering if I should plan on bringing headphones/loop earplugs in my carry on for embarkation day?

 

This is our first cruise and I'm trying to get as much info as possible to make this as smooth as possible for both of us.

 

I am not autistic, but I hate random loud noises, including port equipment thumping, drilling, too many people loudly talking and hooting and hollaring all at once, etc. Definitely bring headphones.  If you have an iphone and normal ears that fit wireless ear buds, get ear buds (don't weigh much and are tidy ), and play soothing music through them if you are waiting around a lot in noise (not just at ports but also at airports).  

Wirless Apple ear buds unfortunately don't fit one of my ears (fall out) , so I have an old-fashioned cable that connects lower quality ear buds to my iphone for the soothing music. I can still hear announcements if needed. 

 

Ear plugs/buds can also be handy if you get a loud neighbor (drunk, crying baby, etc.)

[1025cruise]

DISCLAIMER: I am not autistic, I have not done a ton of research on autism, nor did I sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

 

Carnival offers kits for autistic sailors, though I understand they are mostly used by kids. I have been on cruises where I saw kids with ear protection. It gets loud on the ship as well. I also believe that if you contact special needs, they can arrange for you to wait in a quiet area.

[Essiesmom]

One problem you may encounter is entertainment venues being loud.  They seem to play the audio in the theaters as if we are all deaf.  On one ship the background music in the dining room was too loud, which resulted in diners having to talk loud to be heard, which made the total noise very annoying.  EM

[GeezerCouple]

On 12/1/2023 at 3:05 PM, AnaiyaNB said:

Hi! This may sound like a strange question, but how noisy are embarkation ports and ports in general?

 

My husband and I are both autistic, and get easily overwhelmed by a lot of loud noises. I'm wondering if I should plan on bringing headphones/loop earplugs in my carry on for embarkation day?

 

This is our first cruise and I'm trying to get as much info as possible to make this as smooth as possible for both of us.

 

Welcome to CruiseCritic!

 

As suggested above, contact the "Special Needs" group at whichever cruiseline you'll be sailing.

Let them know as much as you care to share, and what you think would help.  You might also ask them if they have any other suggestions, given this is your first cruise.

 

This is what that group "does".

They may have a special form for you to fill out.  If so, you'll probably find that many of the questions don't apply to you, so either leave those blank or put something like "N/A" (for not applicable).

You won't be the first passengers to request assistance for something like this.

And, importantly, the cruiseline/ship staff can't help if they don't know there is any difficulty, etc.

 

And once on board, be pro-active if you need anything and ask at Guest Services, or such.  (And they may give you a specific contact person, depending upon the cruiseline.)

 

IMPORTANT:  Please study the deck plans of the ship, like floor plans of complete decks.

Try to find a cabin/suite that is surrounded by other PASSENGER accommodations:  on both sides, across the hall, and above and below.  Try to stay far from any "night club", and not under something like a fitness center.

Discuss this with the Special Needs folks, too.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

GC

[suramom]

i did find that at certain ports where we were docked, there was loud repair work or fuel refilling going on, and those pesky backup beeps on trucks going to and fro on the dock.  So we couldn't enjoy the balcony then.  So have those earphones ready if need be.  As someone said, the shows can get quite loud.  I have to do relaxation exercise, and think of the sound washing over me rather than panicking and resisting, for the shows.